PBJ

For the week of May 19th-24th by Lizz Horn

This week when I read Hebrews 5:8 (ESV) “Although he [Jesus] was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered” and was instantly convicted. Jesus had to learn obedience through suffering. Jesus, who is 100% God, had to learn obedience through suffering. Oof!! What does that mean for me then?

I’m reminded of Philippians 2. “Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Chris is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (v. 6-11, ESV).

The phrase “something to be grasped” found in Philippians 2:6 (ESV) is an important phrase to understand Jesus and how he led. The best way to understand this portion of the text is that Jesus did not view equality to God as something to be exploited or used for selfish gain. But rather, Jesus emptied himself through kenosis, (translated from kenoo). This is to say Jesus laid aside his rights as God to become the world’s servant.

Jesus humbled himself, even to death on a cross to serve humanity. Death on a cross meant he was punished as a criminal. God himself, was being publically humiliated on the cross to serve humanity. Which leads to a crucial element in understanding Jesus’ kenotic leadership demonstrated through his life. Jesus set aside his own rights and privileges rooted in his Godliness, for the ones who have turned away from Him and rebuked Him. The world did not deserve this sacrifice, but Jesus still humbled himself to redeem humanity. And Jesus did this out of servanthood to God.

As believers, we are servants. We are servants to God, to each other, and to the world. We are servants so that everyone can know who God is. This servanthood will cost us greatly. Let’s pray about what this cost of obedience is for us. What does it mean for us to be servants of God? What can we learn from kenosis? What “rights” or suffering is God asking from us to learn obedience?

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. :)

I'm sure most people reading this absolutely love PB&J. How can you not?! I'm speaking of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches of course. My mother used to cut my PB&J sandwiches into as many pieces as I was old, down to the fraction of that year! I have many fond memories of consuming PB&J on those summer afternoons. Maybe you even landed on this article because you saw the title and are a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich connoisseur. Well, in this article we are talking about something even better and more satisfying than Peanut butter and Jelly sandwiches. Yes its possible! PBJ here stands for Prayer, Bible and Journal.

PB&J are 3 elements that we know help us engage in a deeper and more meaningful relationship with God. Our God, is a relational God who speaks with and interacts with His people. As we learn to read, meditate, and obey the written Word, it draws us into a closer and deeper relationship with HIm. We have a vision that every person that calls Parkland Foursquare home would have a vibrant devotional life in the written Word of God. As a result, we will all grow more in touch with the heart of God, more confident in His interaction and communication with us, and more bold to walk with Him in everything we see and hear Him doing.

1. Join our daily Bible reading plan.
2. Pray as you read the Bible and ask Holy Spirit to reveal the scriptures to you.
3. Write down insights, questions, observations and prayers that come to you as you read the Bible.

PBJ Reading Plan:

(April 1st- May 31st)

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April

1: Genesis 44-45, Luke 15:11-32 2: Genesis 46, Acts 7:9-12
3: Luke 15:31-32
4: Genesis 47, Luke 7:13-16

5: Genesis 48, Hebrews 11:20-21 6: Genesis 49-50, Heb. 11:22-31 7: Exodus 1-2, Acts 7:17-22
8: Exodus 3, Acts 7: 23-29

9: Exodus 4, John 8:1-30
10: Exodus 3:14
11: Exodus 5-6, John 8:31-59
12: Exodus 7-8, 2 Timothy 3:1-9 13: Exodus 9, 2 Timothy 3:10-17 14: Exodus 10-11, Acts 7:30-36
15: Exodus 12, Acts 7:37-43
16: Exodus 13-14, Matthew 17:1-13 17: Exodus 13:21-22
18: Exodus 15, Matthew 17:14-27 19: Exodus 16, 2 Cor. 8:1-15
20: Exodus 17-18, 2 Cor. 8:16-24 21: Exodus 19-20, Luke 18:15-30 22: Exodus 21, Luke 18:31-43
23: Ex 22, Acts 22:30, Acts 23:1-11 24: Exodus 15:13
25: Exodus 23-24, Acts 23:12-35 26: Exodus 25, Hebrews 8:1-6 27: Exodus 26-27, Heb. 8:7-13 28: Exodus 28, 2 Cor. 2:1-11
29: Exodus 29, 2 Cor. 2:12-17
30: Exodus 30-31, 1 Cor. 10:1-5

May

1: 2 Cor. 2:14
2: Exodus 32, 1 Cor. 10:6-13
3: Exodus 33-34, Romans 9:1-15 4: Exodus 35, Romans 9:16-21
5: Exodus 36, Phil. 2:1-18
6: Exodus 37-38, Phil. 2:19-30
7: Exodus 39, Hebrews 7:1-14
8: 1 Cor. 10:12-13
9: Exodus 40, Hebrews 7:15-28 10: Leviticus 1, Acts 15:1-18
11: Leviticus 2-3, Acts 15:19-41
12: Leviticus 4, Acts 5:1-20
13: Leviticus 5-6, Acts 5:21-42
14: Leviticus 7, Hebrews 5:1-6
15: Hebrews 7:23-25
16: Leviticus 8-9, Hebrews 5:7-14 17: Leviticus 10, Luke 2:1-21
18: Leviticus 11-12, Luke 2:22-38 19: Leviticus 13, Luke 5:1-11
20: Leviticus 14-15, Luke 5:12-39 21: Leviticus 16, Hebrews 6:1-12 22: Luke 5:31-32
23: Leviticus 17-18, Heb. 6:13-20 24: Leviticus 19, Mark 7:1-23
25: Leviticus 20-21, Mark 7:24-37 26: Leviticus 22, John 10:22-30 27: Lev. 23-24, John 10:31-42
28: Leviticus 25, 2 Cor. 6:1-13
29: Leviticus 20:26
30: Leviticus 26-27, 2 Cor. 6:14-18 31: Numbers 1, Acts 28:1-16

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